Staying Safe or Staying Popular? Popularity and Reputation Concerns Predict Adherence and Adjustment during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: https://sagepub.com
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      20
    • Education Level:
      High Schools
      Secondary Education
      Higher Education
      Postsecondary Education
    • Subject Terms:
      COVID-19; Pandemics; Social Isolation; Social Status; Self Concept; Reputation; Predictor Variables; Health Behavior; Adolescents; Peer Relationship; Social Influences; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); High School Students; College Students; Foreign Countries
    • Subject Terms:
      Canada
    • Subject Terms:
      Brief Symptom Inventory
    • Accession Number:
      10.1177/0044118X221074383
    • ISSN:
      0044-118X
      1552-8499
    • Abstract:
      Adherence to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions may be challenging for adolescents, especially those concerned about social status. This study examined self-perceived popularity and reputation concerns as predictors of adherence to health guidelines and the effects of self-perceived popularity on adjustment. Adolescents (n = 1,068, 14-18 years at Time 1, M[subscript age] = 16.86 years) completed three self-report surveys across 10 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consistent with hypotheses, greater self-perceived popularity and concerns about peer reputation predicted less adherence, controlling for COVID-19 threat. Further, greater self-perceived popularity predicted less internalizing symptoms at Time 3. Adolescents' perceptions of their popularity may simultaneously act as a public health risk and provide social protection. Results emphasize the importance of acknowledging adolescents' social pressures and concerns regarding reputations and popularity during COVID-19.
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Publication Date:
      2023
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1392065